Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge Ficlets
by PhoenixDowner
Summary: Series of ficlets for the KH3 Countdown Challenge. Focuses mainly on the friendships in the series but will contain some shiptease here and there (especially for Sora/Kairi). Contains spoilers for promotional material up through November 2018. Longer fics will be posted separately; fics from 100-1000 words will be posted here. Fics for Day 28 onwards are under Line The Pieces Up.
1. Chapter 1 - Frustration

For Day 2 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Trinity Trio (Sora, Donald, and Goofy).

* * *

This wasn't Goofy's first time to be a parent, but it still hurt to see Sora sad. He was slumped in the pilot's chair, head bent over, refusing to speak, refusing to drive, refusing to do much of anything.

"C'mon, Sora, cheer up," Donald said, leaning forward in his seat, his legs dangling off the edge. "We'll just have to find another way to save Roxas."

Sora rested his face in his hands. "I promised him. I promised him I would help him. He's counting on me, and I let him down. Again."

Donald shot Goofy a worried glance.

"Now that's not true, Sora," Goofy said, staying in his chair because that was what Sora needed right now. "I'm sure Roxas knows that—"

Sora pounded his hand on the controls. "He never should have had to sacrifice himself for me. My life isn't worth any more than his."

"Or any less," Donald was quick to point out, giving Goofy another concerned look.

Sora whirled around, and his eyes were flashing. "What kind of life is it, if it's built off of his suffering? What right do I have to exist when he can't?"

The question hung in the air as he stared Donald and Goofy down. There was no good answer to it, either. How could Goofy explain to Sora that sometimes… life just wasn't fair? And as much as Goofy hated to admit it, yes, he was gonna put Sora over Roxas, every time. Sora was his pal, and he would help Roxas if that was what Sora wanted, but Sora still came first.

"Sora, the only reason he exists at all is because of you," Goofy said as he watched Sora pace back and forth along the cockpit.

Donald nodded. "You're the only reason he still exists, too. He could've joined completely with you like Axel did with Lea, but he's still separate from you, right? I mean, you talked to him in your dream, didn't you?"

"I did. It's how he showed me his memories. It's when I got full proof he has a heart of his own." Sora's fists clenched at his side, and his voice shook. "And that heart deserves to exist free from me."

"And it will, Sora," Goofy said. "We've just gotta find a way to free him that keeps you safe."

Sora was silent again, and Goofy fought the urge to sigh. "Sora, we're not gonna let you give in to the darkness, even if it is to help Roxas."

Whatever ideas Ansem and Xemnas had planted in Sora's head, Goofy wasn't about to let them stick.

"We'll be here to help you figure things out," Donald added. "But we also have to protect you."

Goofy didn't want to bring out his trump card… but… Sora still wasn't saying anything…

Time to bring out the trump card.

"Would you tell Kairi she doesn't deserve to exist just because Naminé's inside her heart now?"

Sora froze, his jaw clenching and a pained look flickering through his eyes.

"You wouldn't tell her to sacrifice herself to save Naminé, would you?" Goofy said, just to really drive the point home.

Sora pulled out her lucky charm and looked at it. "No."

"So treat yourself the way you'd treat her," Donald said.

Sora just stared at the charm. Maybe reminding him of Kairi hadn't been a good idea. The two of them had been apart for too long already, another promise he hadn't been able to keep on top of his unfulfilled promise to Roxas.

Time for a more direct approach. Goofy stood and put his hand on Sora's shoulder. How much he'd grown since they'd first met. That felt like a lifetime ago already when really, it was less than two years ago.

"We take your promise to Roxas seriously, Sora," he said, and Sora's eyes flickered upwards to meet his. "But we'll find a way for you to help him and Naminé in a way that doesn't hurt you or Kairi."

"And that's a promise," Donald added, likewise leaving his chair to join the two of them.

Sora returned the charm to his pocket and attempted a smile. "Thanks, guys. I know I can always count on you to have my back."

"Of course. You're our pal."

As Sora powered up the engine and they set off for the next world, Goofy hoped what he and Donald had said would really sink in.

Because at the end of the day, that was the most a parent could hope for, really.


	2. Chapter 2 - Picture

For Day 3 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Destiny Trio (Sora, Kairi, and Riku)

* * *

That dratted _phone._

Ever since Hayner, Pence, and Olette had given it to Sora, he'd been completely distracted.

"Sora, would you be serious about this?" Donald scolded as he zapped a couple of Heartless that were after his friend's heart.

Sora pouted as he tilted the phone at a different angle. "I _am_ serious, I'm just trying to get a good picture to send to—"

He yelped and dodged out of the way, somehow managing to hold tight to the phone. A blast of magic shot out of his Keyblade and froze the enemies solid, and Goofy's shield made them shatter a few moments later.

The bright flash of the camera went off, and Sora stared at the screen for a few seconds after that. With a few more taps and a smile on his face, the pictures had been sent to their intended recipients.

"There we go, finally," he said, tucking the phone back into one of his many pockets with a satisfied nod. "We'll see what Kairi and Riku have to say about that."

Donald wanted to roll his eyes. Of course. Sora just _had_ to one-up Riku and try to impress Kairi.

"Somehow I get the feelin' they'll just be happy to hear from ya," Goofy said, dusting grass off his pants.

"Yeah, but I had to send them something good! Riku's been sending me pictures of his adventures with Mickey, and Kairi sends me a new picture every day about her training. She found this place that has sea-salt ice cream and she took a really awesome picture with the ice cream and the sunset in the background and—"

Goofy and Donald just exchanged glances.

"What?" Sora asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Some things just never change, do they Donald?"

Donald grinned. "Nope, they sure don't."


	3. Chapter 3 - Sorry

For Day 4 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Wayfinder Trio (Terra, Aqua, and Ven)

* * *

Sorry. One word Terra wished he could tell them. It was his fault this whole mess had happened in the first place. If only he hadn't pushed away the very people who could have helped him from succumbing to the darkness. If only he hadn't listened to Xehanort, fallen for his slick lies and empty half-truths.

He took out his Wayfinder and stared at it. It was a true sign of Aqua's skill and magic that after all this time it was still in one piece.

His grip around it tightened. Would they still want him anymore, even if he did return to them? If Aqua's magic worked and brought them all together again? He was the one who had driven them all apart with the way he'd mistrusted Aqua and pushed Ven away.

Well, whether they wanted him or not, at the very least he owed them an apology.

"Aqua, Ven, I'm sorry."

* * *

Sorry. Sorry my sacrifice did nothing to help you, Terra. Sorry I didn't keep my promise to return to you, Ven. Sorry I've been stuck in this miserable place with no way out, this hellish existence with no real hope of freedom.

Aqua's life was a series of one regret after another, but the worst regrets of all were her broken promises to Terra and Ven. They'd been counting on her to save them, and now she needed saving herself.

She took her Wayfinder out and stared at it. It was still in one piece somehow after all this time, even though the person who had made it was anything but.

How far she had fallen. Once the future had seemed a thing of hope, but now… now… the prospect of any more time spent in this prison was too much to bear.

A tear slid down her cheek. "Terra, Ven, I'm sorry. I can't… I can't hold out much longer."

* * *

Sorry. Sorry I've been sitting here completely useless as the two of you suffer. Sorry all I can do is sleep as I wait for Sora to finish repairing my heart. Sorry I couldn't protect you from the man who split my heart in two.

Ven had a lot of regrets, but his biggest one was that the people who had opened their home and their hearts to him had gotten involved with the same twisted man who had ruined his life.

If only he hadn't lost his memory. If only he could've warned them of the true danger Xehanort posed. If only he could have spared them such terrible fates, could have spared himself his fate.

And now Sora and his friends were barreling towards that same danger. Sora, heart so kind it had accepted a stranger's broken heart soon after birth. Sora, heart so caring it had healed and protected Ven's for years. Sora, heart so selfless he was convinced Ven's rescue and Terra and Aqua's salvation rested on his shoulders.

The worlds were very cruel to people like him.

Ven pulled out his Wayfinder and stared at it, stared at his reflection in the green glass.

"Saving all these people… saving me… what's it gonna cost him?"

His hand shook and his vision blurred. "I'm sorry, Terra and Aqua, but I can't… I can't let him—"

He wiped his eyes. "If you knew him, you'd feel the same. Watching him grow up, seeing the worlds through his eyes, knowing the kind of person he's become— how could I not care about him?"

He slipped his Wayfinder back into his pocket and thought of his friends, knowing they would understand. And then his thoughts turned to Sora, the person he wanted to apologize to most of all.

"Sora, the road ahead won't be easy. In fact, it might be more like hell. But just remember… don't lose heart, because we're all rooting for you, every step of the way."


	4. Chapter 4 - Clock

For Day 5 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Sea-Salt Trio (Roxas, Axel, and Xion)

* * *

"C'mon, Axel, what're you waiting for?"

Roxas flashed Axel a grin and beckoned towards him, and he followed him up the steps of the Clock Tower, just like old times.

Twilight Town looked as great as ever as they sat down, the soft pinks and golds and blues of the sky casting a warm glow over the sleepy city sprawled out below them.

Axel might've grown up on Radiant Garden, but this? This was home. Roxas was by his side, just like he should be, and so was—

Someone else, someone wearing a black coat with the hood drawn over their face. Axel's heart pounded. Why was—

Roxas handed first Axel a stick of sea-salt ice cream and then the other person. Axel watched as Roxas took a big bite out of it and then flashed him a grin.

"Friends forever. Right, Axel?" He turned to the mysterious figure seated next to him. "Right, Xi—"

Lea's eyes flew open. His room was still dark and at some point in his sleep he must've accidentally kicked off his blanket, because it was crumpled in a pile at the foot of the bed.

He sat up and rubbed his neck. "Another dream, huh." He grabbed the blanket and draped it over his shoulders. The small cuckoo clock in the corner went off four times, its insistent little chirp reminding him it wasn't time to get up yet.

He collapsed back onto the pillows and sighed. Great. Another night of interrupted sleep. When his hand went to his face to rub his eyes, though, his cheek was wet.

He pulled it away and stared at the tears smeared on it. "I'm crying again? But why?"

He thought back over the dream. He'd been on the Clock Tower back in Twilight Town with Roxas… Roxas and…

Someone else, someone very important, why couldn't he remember—

He thought back to what Kairi had told him the last time this had happened.

"Sometimes, the heart remembers what the mind forgets," she'd said. "If you truly love someone… I don't think you could ever forget what they mean to you, even if the memories themselves are lost or scattered. You just have to have faith that someday, somehow, those memories will be returned to you."

Well, at least he still held his friends in his heart. Until he fully remembered, until he could see them again, that would have to be good enough for now.


	5. Chapter 5 - Normal

For Day 6 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Other Trio (in this case Hayner, Pence, and Olette)

* * *

"Of course we'll help you," Hayner said as he gave Sora a playful punch in the arm. "Roxas is our friend, too, you know."

Pence nodded, and his spiky hair reminded Sora a little of the pineapples from back home. "Yeah. We wanna see him again too."

"And then we can all be friends for real this time," Olette said.

When she smiled, Sora couldn't help but smile back. The three of them had no special powers, no ability to wield the Keyblade, no knowledge of magic. And yet they were still offering to help. Not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

The worlds could really use more people like them. Normal, decent people who helped their friends out just because it was the right thing to do.

"Thanks, guys," he said, and he really meant it. "You're the best."

For a moment, he thought he heard Roxas's voice coming out of his mouth, but then it was gone and his own voice was all that reached his ears.

Well, it was still true, no matter who was saying it.


	6. Chapter 6 - Alone

For Day 7 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Those Without Trios (in this case the Riku Replica and Naminé)

* * *

"Who is that? Who's there?" the Riku Replica called. He sensed a presence here in the darkness when before he'd been alone.

"Riku, it's me," came a gentle voice.

He whirled around and saw a girl glowing with a soft light. Her hair was blond and her eyes blue, and she wore a white dress and blue shoes.

"Naminé. I thought—"

She gave him a sad smile. "Seems like we both still exist, despite everything."

"But how? I thought my heart was just a fake."

She tucked her hands behind her back. "Maybe it was, but it doesn't seem that way anymore."

"You mean… I do have a heart? I'm real after all?"

He'd hoped this hadn't all been an illusion, that the things he'd felt had been real. Hearing they just might have been, when before he'd thought his entire existence was built on a lie, well—

"I suppose… the lie became real, yes," Naminé said. "We were never meant to have hearts of our own, and yet— you're as real as I am now."

He glanced at her and had to laugh at that. "Look at you. You still look like you might fade away at any moment."

She put her hand over her mouth as she let out an airy laugh. "I suppose I might. But Sora and Kairi are looking for a way to save me, and Roxas, too." Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, then flew back open. "And I think Riku… the original Riku… is looking for a way to save you, too."

"He is? But why—"

"They care a lot about us, you know. We were never meant to exist, but… I'm glad we do, and I think they're glad, too."

"I guess in a way they are our creators."

She gave him a gentle smile. "I guess so."

She was already looking less real than she had a few moments ago, her body slowly dissolving into motes of light.

"You can't stay," he said, his heart sinking.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. Kairi's heart is calling me back. But when we meet again, Riku, may we see each other with our own eyes."

As she disappeared, Riku nodded. "It's a promise."

He pulled out her lucky charm and looked at it. Sure, it was a fake originally, but right now?

It seemed pretty real.


	7. Chapter 7 - New Year's Day

For Day 8 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - New Year's Day. Contains SoKai shiptease.

* * *

"Happy New Year!" Donald crowed. There was a loud popping sound, and then confetti and glitter filled the air.

"It's New Year's Day already?" Sora asked, brushing confetti out of his hair before returning his hands to the Gummi Ship controls.

"Yup." Goofy balanced a cookie on Sora's armrest. "At least on our world it is, don't know about yours, Sora."

"Well, Happy New Year, then." He grabbed the cookie and bit into it, chocolate chip with colorful sprinkles.

"What do you do to celebrate New Year's back on Destiny Islands?" Goofy asked.

"Oh, well… for us, it's a time to get together with family. Kids get these special envelopes with munny, and we all eat stuff like osechi and mochi together. Instead of tangerines, we put paopu fruit on top of the mochi. Destiny Islands specialty."

He'd missed last year's New Year's celebrations back home, and he was missing this year's, too. He and Kairi and Riku all used to go to the shrine together to get their fortunes, buy new charms for each other, and drink amazake with gold flakes to toast the new year.

Guess this is the second year Riku and I are gonna miss it, and the first year Kairi is.

Funny how he took those celebrations for granted until he couldn't take part in them anymore.

"What about you guys? What do you do?" he asked, to get his mind off the hollow ache in his chest.

"Well, for us it's our time to spend with our special sweethearts," Goofy said. "Christmas is our time for family."

"So it's like the opposite of Destiny Islands, then."

"Yup."

Interesting. "So what else do you do?"

"Well," Donald said, "I usually take Daisy on a date, and at the stroke of midnight…" He made a loud noise quacking noise.

Sora raised his eyebrow. "You kiss?"

"Yup," Donald said. "New Year's tradition. What better way to ring in the new year than with your special someone?"

Sora's thoughts flickered to Kairi. What would it be like to take her to that hill above town, just the two of them, a little before midnight?

He could picture her now, her red hair standing out against the night sky, wearing a cute dress with a light jacket and a matching hat. Maybe they could get some of those noisemakers Donald had and set them off right at midnight.

Or right before midnight. The confetti would get in Kairi's hair, then she'd turn to him and giggle as she brushed it out of his hair, too. He'd put his hand on her cheek and lean in close, and then, right as the new year began—

"Sora, you're blushing again," Donald teased, poking his cheek and jolting him back to reality.

"Am not!" he said, jerking the ship to the side. Donald, unbuckled as he was, went flying and crashed against the wall. A string of incomprehensible quacks came out of his beak before he recovered and made his way back to his chair so he could buckle in.

"Watch what you're doing, or I'll have to do the driving while you daydream," Donald muttered after that.

"Hey now!"

Donald and Goofy just laughed at him at that, and he couldn't help but grin.

If he couldn't celebrate New Year's like normal, at least he could celebrate it in his head. That would have to be good enough for now until he could make his dreams a reality.


	8. Chapter 8 - First Friend

For Day 9 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Friendship.

* * *

It was kinda funny how Sora had never really met his first and oldest friend face-to-face before.

Sure, he had vague, fuzzy memories of talking to Ventus as a kid, but that was different from actually, you know, talking to him. Out loud. In person. Face-to-face. Like how most normal friendships went.

To be fair, though, most of Sora's friendships were anything but normal these days. How many people had been hanging out inside his heart before he'd begun this rescue mission again? Sheesh, he really could start charging rental space like Donald had suggested. Bunch of freeloaders.

Not that he ever would. They were _his_ freeloaders, and he would give them shelter for as long as they needed. It was the least he could do after Xehanort had ruined their lives. Ruined the lives of his beloved friends that he was determined now more than ever to restore.

And that meant it was time to return Ventus to his rightful body, and that thought both excited him and scared him. Ventus had been with him ever since he was a baby. What kind of person would he be without him?

"What will Ventus think when he sees me?" he couldn't help but ask.

Because Ventus was this… well, this legendary figure, almost. With him since the day he was born. A Keyblade wielder long before he'd become one. A hero to be admired from afar, even while, ironically enough, he rested inside Sora's heart.

How was he supposed to approach _that_ reintroduction? Sure, maybe he should be more worried about the fight that was probably gonna happen if he wanted to save Ventus's body and restore his heart. Getting back each and every one of the people Xehanort had stolen from him hadn't been easy so far, and Ventus wasn't about to be an exception.

But for whatever reason, he was more nervous about seeing Ventus face-to-face for the first time than he was about the upcoming battle.

Aqua patted his head and smiled, like she always used to pat Ventus's head. She'd smiled a lot after her rescue, really.

"He'll be thrilled to see you, I'm sure," she said. "And Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Call him Ven. It's what all his friends do."

Sora returned her smile. "Okay."


	9. Chapter 9 - Dead Man's Heart

For Day 10 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Love. Contains spoilers for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Some slight SoKai shiptease.

* * *

Love. Davy Jones had no place for it on his ship… or in his heart. Which was why he wanted to get rid of this blasted fool as soon as he could.

Oh, and William Turner, too.

"Tia Dalma said you took out your own heart," the boy said, face young and youthful, like Davy Jones's had been before love had waged its costly war.

"That's what's in the chest, right?" he added. "Not whatever it is Luxord's looking for."

Davy Jones gave the foolish boy a glare. He truly had no idea of danger, mentioning her name in the presence of Davy Jones.

"Do you fear death, boy?" Davy Jones snarled, tentacles flaring.

The boy was remarkably calm, his gaze steady. "No."

Davy Jones jerked his head back. The boy wasn't lying, that much he could tell. And there was something else, something—

Hmmmm. "I offer you a choice, then. Join my crew. "

Even if the boy did not fear death, he could always use new crew members, especially after how all the battles lately had reduced their numbers.

The boy held his hands out in front of him. "I like being a pirate, don't get me wrong, but I think I'll pass." He flashed him an easy gold-toothed smile. "I have someone waiting for me back home."

As Davy Jones suspected. He turned around to hide his disgust.

"You're better off without her, whoever she may be," he spat. "A heart will bring you nothing but pain."

"Speaking from experience?"

Davy Jones whirled around and grabbed the boy by the collar so they were standing face to face. To his credit he didn't flinch, just stared right back.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, his nose wrinkling.

Davy Jones' eyes narrowed. "You'd do well to keep your nose out of my business, boy."

But he couldn't take a hint. "She's why you took out your heart, isn't she?"

Davy Jones flung the boy against the wall, and he hit it with a painful-sounding thud, his face scrunching up and his eyes shutting. But after a few moments he peeled himself off it, and his blue eyes opened, brilliant against the murky depths of the Flying Dutchman's bowels.

"I know something of what that feels like." His hand went to his heart. "You see… I took out my heart, too."

Davy Jones stared at him. "Your heart beats in your chest.. I can hear it."

"I got it back."

Was that even possible?

"You… forgave her?" Davy Jones asked, taking a step closer to the boy.

"She found me, alone in the darkness, wandering around without a heart." The boy actually smiled as he continued. "There was nothing to forgive, because I chose to do it. I took it out to save her. And then she saved me in return."

Davy Jones stopped. "She didn't betray you, then."

He shook his head. "No. But if I can get my heart back, why can't you?"

Davy Jones should've known. It was too good to be true. The betrayal he had suffered could never be forgiven, should never be forgiven. His heart was better off where it was, under lock and key.

"Foolish boy, you think there's hope for me and for her. But I…" He stabbed himself in the chest with his claw, and the boy's eyes went wide, "…am a heartless wretch," he said, yanking it back out. "I do not love her and she does not love me. Now, get off of my ship before I tear your blasted heart out a second time."

The boy gave him one last look, his eyes filled with pity. "She's not the one who failed you. You failed her."

Davy Jones moved to make good on his promise, but the boy was faster than he looked. He warped out of the way and was gone within moments, leaving Davy Jones alone once more.

He lifted the small locket that always hung from one of his tentacles and listened as its familiar haunting melody played.

"Calypso…"

Yes, his heart was better off where it was. Love had brought him nothing but pain. If the boy hadn't learned that yet, it was only a matter of time before it taught him life's cruel lesson.

A heart just wasn't worth the cost.

* * *

A/N: Quick story time: I grew up watching the Pirates movies and am really glad the franchise is making a return to Kingdom Hearts. Davy Jones is a great villain and I really felt for him in At World's End when he and Tia Dalma/Calypso talk about what happened to their love for each other.

Anyway, Davy Jones's heartless (literally) condition as a result got me thinking about a certain character who also lost his heart as a result of love, but for a very different reason and with a very different outcome. I've been wanting to write this conversation since E3 of last year, and I finally got around to it. I'm curious to see if canon will make the connection, but if not, this was a lot of fun to write :)

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!


	10. Chapter 10 - Forgotten Girl

For Day 11 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Angst. World reveal spoilers in the story and in the author's note.

* * *

"You really don't remember her, do you?" Marluxia said, tossing his hair over his shoulder with a sly smile that made Sora want to punch him in the face. **  
**

Sora's eyes narrowed. "Remember who?"

Marluxia shook his head and clicked his tongue. "It's such a shame. You were her hero. She was counting on you to rescue her. How do you think she feels about you forgetting her?"

"Huh?" Donald and Goofy both said.

Sora looked at the two of them, then back to Marluxia. At least they were as confused as he was.

"Who was counting on me to—"

"Well, I suppose there are a lot of people counting on you now. But you've already failed at least one of them."

He glanced behind him, and Sora gasped. "Rapunzel!"

She was with someone Sora hadn't seen before, a woman with dark curly hair and a long cloak.

Oh no, he'd promised to keep her safe, he had to make sure she was—

"She reminds me a lot of her, you know," Marluxia said. "Of Naminé."

Sora skidded to a halt as Donald and Goofy continued on. "Naminé? You know Naminé? Marluxia, wait, you have to tell me—"

But the Corridor of Darkness Marluxia had summoned had already closed, and Sora's hand grabbed wisps of black smoke. There was a strange, hollow ache in his heart, and he wasn't sure why.

"I… forgot about Naminé? Is that why I can't remember why I'm supposed to thank her?"

His heart pounded as he racked his brains trying to remember. Why had he forgotten her? Why couldn't he remember what had happened? It was there, the memories were lurking somewhere in his heart, he just knew it, so why wouldn't they come to the surface?

Hang on.

He reached into his pocket and took out Kairi's good luck charm. For a moment it wasn't its usual shape. It looked like a paopu instead.

"Naminé?"

Then the moment was over and it was back to its usual form, thalassa shells and all, and that snapped him to his senses.

"Oh no, Rapunzel!"

He tucked the charm back into his pocket and raced over to Donald and Goofy. By the time he reached them, the mysterious woman was gone, and Rapunzel along with her.

"We can't find her anywhere!" Donald quacked, panic in his voice and eyes.

Goofy searched behind a log, behind a rock, behind a tree. "She just upped and disappeared, and Eugene's still missin', too."

Sora groaned. "Of course. Marluxia's probably working with whoever kidnapped her. He was the distraction. C'mon, we have to find her. Eugene, too, if we can."

As they took off in search of any clues, Sora's thoughts kept wandering back to Naminé.

He'd forgotten her. He didn't remember anything after when he and Donald and Goofy had arrived at Castle Oblivion until they'd all woken up in that white room in Twilight Town.

And not only that. Kairi had forgotten him. He knew that from his dream. She'd talked to Roxas and begged to know his name, and Sora had to give her a hint to jog her memory. All his friends had forgotten him for a while, too. The Restoration Committee had told him as much.

Could the two things be linked?

He pictured Naminé the last time he'd seen her, in the dream. She'd looked sort of sad. Alone. She and Roxas had each other now, except…

Sora hadn't kept his promise to Kairi, and that meant she and Roxas were apart now, too. His heart hurt a little more at the thought.

And if what Marluxia said was really true, if she was his friend, how could he have forgotten her?

Well, one thing was certain. When they met again, he didn't just want to thank her.

He wanted to say sorry, too.

* * *

A/N: A big thank you to Rapis-Razuri for inspiring this story! She pointed out the parallels between Rapunzel and Naminé, and the wheels got turning in my head and from there this idea was born.

I really do wonder if Sora's missing memories of Naminé will be explored in the Tangled world, as Marluxia seems to be heavily involved and it would be the perfect opportunity. Guess we'll find out soon!

As always, thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11 - Anyone Can Cook

For Day 12 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Fluff. Minigame spoilers ahead.

* * *

"You're really doin' great, Sora," Goofy said as he watched Sora toss a pan full of meat and vegetables and catch every single one of them with ease.

Sora grinned as he returned the pan to the fire, glancing upwards at the little chef perched on his head. "It's all thanks to Remy's help. I was completely hopeless before this. I couldn't even cook rice without burning it. Kairi used to tease me about it all the time. Riku would have, too, but he's just as bad as I am. Well, was."

Remy smiled, his deft paws tugging this way and that at Sora's hair. "It's like my hero Auguste Gusteau used to say. Anyone can cook."

Goofy sorta wondered whether Auguste Gusteau had a rat and a teenage boy working together in mind when he'd said that, but he liked the idea all the same.

Donald hopped off his chair and waddled over to Sora. "Here, Sora, gimme your phone. I can take a picture if you want."

Sora paused to scratch his cheek. "Oh, actually… I kinda want it to be a surprise."

Donald looked to Goofy, then turned back to Sora and gave him a sly smile. "You wanna impress Kairi, don't you?"

Sora's face flushed, and it probably wasn't just because of the spurt of fire from the wine he'd just poured onto the meat and vegetables.

"Who's Kairi?" Remy asked, though the look on his face told Goofy he'd probably figured it out.

"We… um… she… uh… she's my— she's my—"

"Your what, Sora?" Donald asked with a teasing grin.

"Sora, eyes on the food!" Remy yanked Sora's hair to get him to focus again.

When the pan was back under control, Sora finally spoke again. "Okay, fine. You're right. I want to show her that I'm not a hopeless cook anymore, okay? She always used to cook for me and Riku and we never made anything for her. I just want to return the favor for once."

If Sora thought that was gonna get Donald off his case, he was wrong. Donald teased him about it until he threatened to burn Donald's portion. That got Donald to shut up and return to his spot at the table until the food was ready.

"Well, Sora, I think Kairi will really like your surprise," Goofy said, tucking his napkin into his shirt as Sora served the food. "It's awful thoughtful of you."

"Thanks, Goofy." Sora smiled and took a seat at the table, and Remy sat down at his own tiny table Sora had gotten ready for him. It was on top of the big table, and Sora had set aside a little portion for him, too.

As they all dug in, Goofy didn't add that it wasn't about the food, though Kairi was sure to like whatever special meal Remy helped Sora cook up. It wasn't about the atmosphere, though this restaurant was awful nice and she was sure to like it when Sora brought her here.

No, it was all about the heart and thought behind the act, and Goofy had lived long enough to know that that was what really mattered.

He couldn't wait till Sora could share his surprise with her.


	12. Chapter 12 - Broken Promise

For Day 13 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Promise.

* * *

Everyone always told Donald he had a short temper. And sure, it was true, sort of. He couldn't help that he was more spirited than other folks! Besides, Goofy (and to a lesser extent Sora) were always around to keep him in check. **  
**

But today something had happened that had made Donald have to hold Goofy back for once.

The two of them stood there in the aftermath of it all, panting and dirty and banged up from the fight. Xehanort's cronies were gone now, but the damage had been done. Sora faced away from them, and his shoulders were shaking and his head was hanging low. He wasn't even trying to hide his quiet sobs from them, either.

Because clutched in his hand were the broken pieces of Kairi's good luck charm. Xehanort was waging an all out war against his heart, and this was the latest in a long string of casualties.

Donald wouldn't forget the look in Sora's eyes or the way he'd cried out when it had happened. As their enemies had disappeared into swirls of black smoke with cruel smirks on their faces afterwards, it had taken all of Donald's strength to hold Goofy back from jumping in after them.

Sora sniffed, and it snapped Goofy out of his funk. He walked over to Sora and put a hand on his shoulder.

"There now, Sora, I'm sure Kairi can fix it for you—"

"I broke my promise."

Goofy shot Donald a worried look, and he waddled over to join them. "I'm sure she'll understand," Donald said. "It's not your fault they—"

Sora whirled around to face them, and his eyes were flashing and his fists were clenched. "It is my fault! This is all my fault! I told her we'd be together and then I left her behind again! If we were still together like I'd promised the charm would be safe with her right now!"

No one said anything for a few moments after that, because Xehanort's manipulation was having its intended effect. Sora's heart was hurting and they had to do something to fix it before things got any worse.

"Now Sora, she knows you left for a good reason—" Goofy began.

Sora's shoulders slumped, and his arms lowered to his side. "I know, I know. Because everyone's counting on me to save them." He opened his hand to look at the broken charm again. "But did they ever think about what it might cost me?"

Donald's heart sank. Master Yen Sid had warned him and Goofy that Sora needed their help now more than ever, and he was right. Sora had taken the brunt of all this on his shoulders, and they were awfully young shoulders to bear such a burden.

"How am I gonna face her?" he said, his voice breaking and tears welling up in his eyes again. "All I ever do is break my promises to her. I can't even return her charm in one piece. She trusted me and I can't even do that."

"Sora, it's not your fault," Donald said. "Kairi won't blame you. Sure, it might be hard to tell her, but she'll understand."

Goofy nodded and gestured to Sora's hand. "Besides, you've still got the pieces of it. She's a real crafty gal. I'm sure she'll come up with somethin' that can fix it."

Sora ignored them both, just stared at the ruined charm. "It looks like my promise to her now, doesn't it? Maybe it's better this way."

"Sora, snap out of it!" Donald quacked, tugging on his arm. "Don't you see this is what Xehanort wants? He wants to break your heart so he can take it over! Don't let him get between you and Kairi like this!"

"But—"

"Donald's right, ya know. You gotta have some faith in Kairi. Sure, this charm she made for you is awful nice, but it's just a symbol. Xehanort can break it all he likes, but it doesn't change how Kairi feels about you."

"Or how you feel about her," Donald added.

Sora just stared at them as if he was seeing something new for the first time. Then he looked at the charm again, his fingers tracing over it like it was the most precious thing in all the worlds.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, guys." He carefully returned the pieces to his pocket for safekeeping. "Broken or not, a promise is still a promise. Kairi deserves to know the truth. And I can't let Xehanort get me down."

"That's the spirit," Donald said, and Goofy nodded.

Sora didn't smile after that. In fact, he was pretty quiet all the way back to the Gummi Ship. But as they took off for the next world, Donald noticed he'd taken out the fragment of the charm with his face on it and had put it where he could see it as he drove.

Well, if Xehanort was going after his heart, it made sense that he would try to strengthen his bond with Kairi. She was his light, after all, and while all his friends helped, Donald got the feeling that Kairi in particular was keeping him from falling into darkness.

Fate really had been cruel to keep them apart for so long. Donald could only hope Sora would get to see her again soon.


	13. Chapter 13 - Tide and Sea

For Day 14 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Memory.

* * *

Kairi stared at the girl in front of her.

Other than the fact that she had short dark hair, the girl was the spitting image of… well… Kairi. It was like looking in a mirror, almost.

Kairi took a step closer to her, the tide lapping at her feet. "Who… are you?"

Kairi had never seen her before. Was she like Naminé? Her body was hidden beneath a long black coat that looked too hot for Destiny Island's warm temperatures, so it was hard to tell.

The girl was silent for a moment. "I'm you, as Sora remembers you," she finally said.

Kairi paused at this. "Me as Sora remembers me? What does that mean?"

When had Sora ever seen her like this? Kairi wracked her brains for a time Sora might've—

The girl smiled sadly. "I'm just a puppet. I was never meant to exist."

Kairi's heart pounded. That sounded a lot like the things Naminé had told herself before. I'm Kairi's shadow. I was never meant to exist. Nobodies are meant to fade away.

Well, if Kairi knew one thing, it was that even if Naminé wasn't meant to exist before, Kairi wanted her to exist now. And if this girl was anything like her, she wanted her to exist, too.

"A puppet?" She glanced at the waves washing up against the girl's feet. "But you seem real to me."

"You see me as I see myself, then."

"Black hair, blue eyes?"

The girl nodded, and Kairi took a step closer. "You're not me, then."

The girl shook her head. "No. But Sora filled me up with so many memories of you that I took on your appearance." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, with a few differences."

"Memories… of me? But why me?"

She smiled shyly. "I don't have a heart, or so they told me. But I saw enough of Sora's memories of you to know why."

She took a step forward and found Kairi's hand. Hers was as real and solid as anything Kairi had touched.

"This is for you," she said, putting something in Kairi's outstretched palm. Kairi recognized it easily.

"A thalassa shell?" she asked, running her thumb across its familiar shape. Tales of the old sea goddess they were named after flitted through her mind.

The girl nodded. "Kairi, I never got to meet you, so you never forgot me. So please, don't forget me when you wake up."

"Forget you? Why would I forget you?"

The girl's shoulders drooped and her eyes were filled with sorrow. "Because everyone else I ever knew did."

"They did? But why?"

"Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made—"

Kairi thought of Sora's smile right before he'd disappeared into her arms.

"No. No more sacrifices. The darkness has taken enough from us as it is. I won't let it take any more." She put her hand over the girl's. "And I won't forget you. I promise."

The girl smiled through her tears, and Kairi gave her hand a squeeze. "What's your name?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak, and the world around them blurred together and started to fade. All Kairi heard was the stirrings of the tide before the girl slipped out of her grasp and into the depths of sleep.

Kairi's eyes flew open. She took a few deep breaths to orient herself as her mind transitioned from sleep to wakefulness.

Clutched tight in her hand was a thalassa shell and tucked away in her memory was a girl. A girl filled with Sora's memories. A forgotten girl that deserved to be remembered.

She gripped the shell tighter. "Sora, Riku, I think there's another person we're supposed to save."


	14. Chapter 14 - Fire and Water

For Day 15 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - The Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air)

* * *

Lea was never really sure how to talk to Kairi outside of their training. The whole "I kidnapped you" thing kinda put a damper on their interactions, and Kairi had every right to avoid him, really. He'd apologized for what he'd done, but if there was one thing he'd learned, it was that all the words in the worlds couldn't change the past. **  
**

But that all changed the day she came up to him after practice.

"Axel?"

"Yeah?"

He'd stopped bothering to correct other people when they used his old name. He'd gone out of his way to make sure they all had it memorized, after all. And for whatever reason, he didn't really mind when Kairi called him by it.

"Are you busy right now?"

"Well, unless going to get sea-salt ice cream counts as being busy, no. What's up?"

She clasped her hands behind her back. "I want you to teach me how to use fire magic."

Lea raised his eyebrow. "Merlin's lessons aren't doing it for you? Better not let him hear that. Remember the last time I pissed him off? He turned me into a frog and made me train all day like that."

She giggled, and he cracked a grin.

"That was pretty funny, you have to admit," she said. "Frogs were never meant to have red hair."

"Frogs were never meant to have hair at all."

"No, they really weren't." She paused and fiddled with the necklace around her neck. "Actually, though, I'm asking because I need more practice. I have to be ready when the time comes. Merlin's taught me a lot, but fire magic's your specialty. I figured it couldn't hurt to get some pointers from you."

"Fair enough." She was right, it was his speciality to the point he'd kinda neglected other types of magic.

Speaking of which… while he favored fire magic, she was good with stuff like Water and Blizzard. This could be the perfect chance to round out his skills a little more. He might not be an assassin anymore, but some old habits just died hard. Staying on top of the competition was one of them.

And… he had to be ready for when he saw Isa again.

"In return," he said, "will you show me how to use other types of magic? Like Water, Blizzard…"

She nodded. "Sure."

As they went back to the training room together, Lea couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, this was the first step towards undoing all the hurt he'd caused.

It would be a long uphill battle, but he was on the side of light now, and he was determined to prove he deserved to be there.


	15. Chapter 15 - Pawns

For Day 16 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Rivalry.

* * *

Terra was becoming more and more unstable by the day. Xehanort needed to go to the Keyblade Graveyard to create the x-Blade, but once he did, Terra's will might— **  
**

That sly fox. Who would've thought Eraqus would think to escape death and help his fool of a pupil. And who would've thought Terra's stubborn mind would resist for so long after his heart and body had succumbed.

"You think you're the only one who knows how to play this game," came a familiar voice deep in the depths of Terra's heart.

Xehanort slowly turned around to face the figure hidden there in the shadows.

"Eraqus."

"You think you understand the prophecy, but it's like I told you before: don't underestimate the light."

Xehanort crossed his arms behind his back and began a slow walk around Eraqus. "Make no mistake, my old friend. The only one doing any underestimating around here is you. Darkness shall prevail and light expire, and after that, the World will be reborn."

"You think you'll be in control, but those pesky pawns just might have a few tricks up their sleeves," Eraqus said, like they were boys playing a game of chess in the Master's study once more.

Hmph. "Is that so?"

"You won't be the one to open the door, Xehanort. I will make sure of that if it's the last thing I do."

With that he disappeared back into Terra's heart. No matter. Xehanort wasn't about to let all his hard work be undone.

Soon. It was only a matter of time before his careful plans paid off.


	16. Chapter 16 - The Best Medicine

For Day 17 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Discovery.

Inspired by the demo event last May where… can't remember who it was, but one of the KH Youtubers mentioned something funny they'd discovered about the Toy Story world in a tweet. Feel free to skip over this one if you want to discover this for yourself as you play the game :)

* * *

Sora skidded to a halt and his hand flew to his throat. "Woah, what's going on with my voice?"

Donald took one look at Goofy and burst out laughing. Sora's voice was high and squeaky, and it was funny hearing such a weird noise come out of his mouth. Not even when they'd first met him had his voice been this high.

"Sounds like—"

But Goofy couldn't keep talking because his voice sounded high and squeaky, too. He clasped his hands over his mouth, and Sora dissolved into a fit of high-pitched laughter. That just made Donald laugh even harder, and hearing his own voice sound so weird made him collapse to the floor and roll around. He probably would've cried, too, he was laughing so hard, but their toy forms made that impossible.

Sora glanced at the tanks sprawled out on the floor behind them. One of them had been knocked open and was making a light hissing noise.

He tilted his head. "What's even in those things?" he asked, but before they could figure it out, a bunch of Heartless appeared.

The battle that followed made it nearly impossible to concentrate on the fighting. Sora kept calling his magic attacks and making other noises like normal, only every single thing that came out of his mouth was in that funny high-pitched voice.

When it was finally over, they all collapsed into a giggling pile of laughter. Sora's foot rested against one of the tanks, and he nudged it to get it to roll over. Tilting his head, he squinted to try to make out what was written on it.

"He-li-um?" He crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "Helium. Helium. Now where have I heard that before?" His eyes lit up and he clasped his hands together. "Oh, I remember now! That's the stuff that goes in balloons!" He glanced at Donald and raised his eyebrow. "What? I know I haven't been to school in a while, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten everything, sheesh."

Donald couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing again. He just couldn't take anything Sora said seriously with his voice sounding like that.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Donald."

This just made Donald laugh harder, especially when Sora scowled.

"Sora, we can't help it with your voice soundin' like that," Goofy said in between laughs. "We're laughin' at us, too."

Sora relaxed and grinned before glancing back at the tanks again. "We do sound pretty funny. I didn't know helium could do that. Those tanks must be here because the staff uses them to fill balloons up." His eyes lit up again and he sprung to his feet. "I wonder if we can find any balloons around here!"

Donald just rolled his eyes. "Sora, get serious. You said it yourself: this isn't a vacation."

Sora paused to glance back at them. "Yeah, but we can have a little fun, can't we?"

As Donald exchanged glances with Goofy and they scrambled to their feet to follow after Sora, Donald couldn't help but think how happy he was Sora could still find a reason to smile and laugh.

Sometimes laughter really was the best medicine.


	17. Chapter 17 - Oathkeeper

For Day 18 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Charms.

* * *

 _"The battle ahead is unlike anything we've faced before."_

Sora summoned his Keyblade. Dangling off the hilt of it was a charm both old and new, broken pieces held together by whole ones.

 _"This charm will make sure we won't be separated again."_

Sora could sense the magic radiating off it, sense the transformations buzzing to be unleashed from Oathkeeper's upgraded form.

Because Kairi was here with him, too, her words in his head and treasured memories of her in his heart. And until they could be together for real, this was her way of fulfilling their promise.

"Kairi, thank you. You know I'm always with you, and… after this is over, we'll be together for good. No more promises. It'll be real, I swear."

With that in mind, he was ready. It was time. Taking a deep breath, he charged.

It was true, he fought for the light. It needed to be restored after Xehanort had done his best to make it expire like the prophecy had said.

He fought for his friends, too. They kept him going even in his lowest of lows, and their strength was his strength. He wanted to create a world where they could be happy, where their tears would be gone and their smiles would return.

But he fought for Kairi most of all. And until he could fulfill his vow, he would keep on fighting.

He was determined to keep his oath if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

As I was writing today's prompt, I had this thought: if Oathkeeper is in KH3 (which it almost certainly will be), and all the other Keyblades have transformations… then that means… Oathkeeper will, too! Think of all the wonderful possibilities! I can't wait to see it in all its updated HD glory.

Anyway, thank you for reading!


	18. Chapter 18 - I See The Light

For Day 19 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Wish.

* * *

Sora leaned back on his hands and sighed. All around them were a bunch of lanterns lighting up the night sky like thousands of stars. Water lapped against the dock where they were sitting, and the way the lanterns reflected off it was like their very own private show. They couldn't have asked for a better view.

This was what he loved about traveling. This was the kind of thing that made all the time spent away from home worth it. If he had to be away from Kairi and Riku, at least he was making memories like this to share with them when he got back.

"Seeing all these lanterns really reminds me of home," he said. "The stars reflect off the water at night, and it kinda looks like this."

"Gawrsh, I bet it's real pretty, then," Goofy said.

Donald stared in awe at the light show surrounding them. "Yeah. We have fireworks, but nothing like this."

As beautiful as the sight was around them, Sora couldn't help but wish he was back home.

No, that wasn't exactly it. He liked being here. It was like there was something, or someone, missing—

Jiminy stirred in his hood and perched on his shoulder. "You know what they say about stars, dontcha?"

Sora turned to look at his friend. "That they're other worlds?"

"Well, that too. On my world though, we say that if you wish upon a star, your dreams will come true."

"My dreams… will come true?"

"Sure. Why dontcha try it? Maybe it'll work on lanterns, not just stars."

He thought about this for a moment. What were his dreams?

Well, he wanted to find a way for Roxas to be his own person. Naminé, too. She deserved to be her own person, too. He wanted to help Terra and Aqua and Ventus get their bodies and their lives back. He wanted to stop Xehanort and keep the worlds safe.

What else. Oh, right. He wanted to see Riku again. Being separated from his best friend all the time kinda sucked. Yeah, Riku had an important job to do, but it didn't make being apart from him any easier.

His eyes spotted Eugene and Rapunzel together on a boat a little ways away. They both had shy smiles on their faces as they talked about something Sora couldn't hear. Together they launched a lantern into the air, and Sora couldn't help but smile, because the two of them together like that made his heart feel all warm.

Love really was a beautiful thing. Time and again he'd watched people fall in love on his journeys, and he never got sick of seeing it. The stolen glances, the blushing and stuttering, the eventual confessions, the first kisses—

Yeah, love was pretty special.

For a moment he didn't see Rapunzel and Eugene on that boat. For a moment he was in the boat instead, and Kairi was seated across from him. She gazed in wonder at the sight around them, then turned to him and smiled.

"Sora, just think, someday… this could be us."

"I wish it was," he said softly. "I wish you were here with me. Then we could finally be together."

She pulled out a lantern from behind her. "Then let's make a wish. After all this is over, we'll come back here. Together."

She held out the lantern, and he put his hands over hers. His heart sped up a little at that, and Kairi's smile got bigger. Together they released the lantern into the sky to join all the others, but Sora didn't let go of her hands.

Her eyes flickered from their hands to his face. "Sora?"

She was so close now, her face just inches from his. His eyes rested on her lips, then darted back up to her eyes. He took a deep breath and swallowed. Her breathing got heavier as he leaned close, her eyes fluttering shut as he—

—tumbled into the water with a loud splash, ruining the moment and his fantasy.

Donald burst out laughing, and Jiminy laughed, too, even though he was still in Sora's hood and was only kinda shielded from the water.

Sora muttered to himself as he climbed back onto the dock. Talk about embarrassing. He made sure to shake the water from his clothes and hair onto Donald, which didn't do much to get the duck to shut up.

"You look like a wet cat," he said in between quacks and cackles.

Sora just glared at him as he took his seat next to him again. "Yeah, well, it happens."

"You were thinkin' about Kairi again, weren't you?" Goofy said, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

Sora wanted to groan. This again. He was never gonna be free of their teasing, was he?

He crossed his arms. "So what? Jiminy said to make a wish, and I did. None of your business if it involves Kairi or not."

Donald covered his beak with his hands, but a few snickers still escaped, especially when Sora shot him another glare.

"Well, Sora, if you really did make a wish to see her again, I'm sure it'll come true," Jiminy said.

As Sora spotted Eugene and Rapunzel again on their boat together like they were in their own world, he couldn't help but sigh.

He sure wished it would.

* * *

I always loved how Sora is a hopeless romantic in KH2 and I'm hoping to see that side of him again in KH3. And I realize I have neglected Jiminy in… pretty much all of my stories, so I figured it was about time I gave him his moment in the spotlight.

As always, thank you for reading!


	19. Chapter 19 - Way to the Dawn

For Day 21 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Old Friends. Contains spoilers for the D23 Japan 2018 Theme Song Reveal Trailer and the E3 2018 Frozen Trailer.

* * *

"Mickey, you okay there?"

Mickey's ears drooped as he tried to pick himself up, only to trip over one of the shattered pieces of Way to the Dawn and tumble to the ground. The cold grainy sand of the Dark Margin stuck to his clothes and face, and he didn't even bother brushing it off.

Riku offered him a hand up. "Hey, what happened to Aqua isn't your fault."

He took Riku's hand. "Gosh, I don't know. I think it kinda is my fault. I don't blame her for holdin' a grudge against me."

"Well, if it's your fault, then it's mine, too. If she hadn't sacrificed herself for me, she could have gotten out of the realm of darkness before it was too late."

Mickey was silent, and Riku didn't know what else to say.

They'd failed. Master Yen Sid had counted on them to save her, and they couldn't even do that. Couldn't even save one person.

Some master he was. Sure, it was his first full assignment, but he was already starting to wonder if he really deserved the title.

"Riku, don't go blamin' yourself now," Mickey said as he searched his face.

Riku nodded. "Yeah. It's just easy to, you know? Old habits die hard. But we can't give up hope. We'll just have to find another way to save her."

Sure, it wasn't really his fault, but he still felt bad about Aqua's fate. She'd chosen to protect him, and now, it was time time he returned the favor. And that meant he couldn't give up now. They had to keep searching for a way to save her, no matter how hard it might be.

"We'll just hafta go back to Master Yen Sid and tell him what happened," Mickey said. "Get new Keyblades and try again."

"Yeah."

They couldn't do too much right now, not after Aqua had stolen Mickey's Keyblade and shattered his.

He picked its broken hilt up and walked over to the water's edge. Knowing this was the right thing to do, though he couldn't fully explain why, he plunged it into the sand.

"Can't use this Keyblade anymore. Might as well leave it here… in case the other me needs it."

"Huh?"

Riku just smiled. "There're a lot of things I didn't get to tell you about my Mark of Mastery exam. Guess now's as good a time as any to get you caught up."

As Riku told the story and they searched for a way out of here, he couldn't help but think how lucky he was to have Mickey here with him. Even defeat wasn't so bad if you had a friend to pick you back up afterwards.

Was he sounding more and more like Sora with all this mushy friend stuff?

Yeah, but really, it wasn't such a bad thing. Not at all.

* * *

Mickey and Riku's friendship is one of my favorite things about the series and I haven't given it the love it deserves so here is me making up for that.

Hope you enjoyed!


	20. Chapter 20 - Unlikely Hero

For Day 23 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Heroes.

* * *

Vanitas took a moment to glance at the chaos around him. **  
**

What a bunch of idiots. This was all pointless. They were all doomed to fail.

And yet… they didn't stop fighting. Even though Xehanort was gonna win either way, they kept resisting him. When Sora stumbled, Donald and Goofy rushed to his side and helped him get back up again. When a Nobody lunged at Axel, Kairi struck it away with her Keyblade. He returned the favor by taking out a bunch of Unversed jumping her with a burst of flame. And when Riku was about to be overpowered by a swarm of Heartless, Mickey rushed to his aid. Together, they held the darkness back a little longer.

He had to admit… even though they were losers…

They weren't alone. Vanitas was surrounded by Unversed, and Xehanort's other puppets were fighting all around him, but he still felt alone.

Xehanort didn't have any friends, just pawns. And Vanitas didn't want to be a pawn anymore.

Guess that meant he was about to become a hero.

* * *

So today's piece was a little shorter than usual, but I have been intrigued by Vanitas's theme coming at the end of the Heroes medley for the Kingdom Hearts World Tour for a long time now and decided to go somewhere with it.

Hope you enjoyed!


	21. Chapter 21 - Unlikely Duo

For Day 24 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Villains. Contains spoilers for one of the November trailers.

* * *

Demyx sighed. How he'd gotten caught up in all this mess again when all he really wanted to do was chill and jam out on his guitar, he'd never know.

Why did everyone keep asking him to do all the icky work? Especially people who had never given the time of day before.

Exhibit A: Vexen. He gave the cold scientist standing before him now a suspicious glance. The two of them had nothing in common. Nothing. Vexen was obsessed with his creepy experiments and worked way too hard for Demyx's tastes. He had probably never touched a musical instrument in his life, either, just his beakers and bottles and chemicals and lab coats.

"You really want my help?" Demyx asked, trying to figure out what Vexen was really getting at here. "I'm useless. I'm chicken. We're not friends. I can count the number of times you and I have hung out on one hand."

Vexen gave him an unreadable look. "You may be a bit… lax in your efforts, but you're hardly useless, Demyx."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather sit this one out."

Vexen raised his eyebrow. "And do what, strum away on that guitar of yours all by yourself? If it's friends you want, think of it this way: spending more time with me might result in us getting to know each other better."

"And why would I want that?"

"Because you need allies if not friends."

Well, Demyx couldn't really argue with that. If Vexen wanted to form their own little alliance, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Yeah, they were both working for the same guy, but…

Demyx didn't have any particular loyalty to him. Talk about a creep. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to join up with Vexen, at least for a little while.

"Okay, fine. Give me the details."

* * *

I always thought Demyx was an interesting guy and am looking forward to seeing him again in KH3.

Hope you enjoyed!


	22. Chapter 22 - Light

For Day 25 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Light. Contains spoilers for one of the November trailers.

* * *

Where were all these Heartless even coming from? **  
**

Sora had never seen them falling from the sky like this before. The whole world was turning dark, too, as the darkness spread further and further and swallowed everything in its path.

Would the light really expire, just like the prophecy said?

No. No way was he gonna let that happen. He summoned his Keyblade. No matter how bad things got, he would keep on fighting. He had to protect the worlds. He had to protect the light. He had to protect his friends.

He thought of them now as he charged into battle with Donald and Goofy right as his heels. Their faces all flickered through his head as he dove headlong into the fight.

The people he'd met on his travels. His friends back home.

The Heartless just wouldn't stop coming, wave after wave after wave of them lunged at him and clawed at his legs and back and tried to tear out his heart—

Terra. Aqua and Ven.

There were Unversed here, too, so many of them, choking up the air, choking out the light, draining all hope along with them—

Roxas and Axel and Xion.

And Nobodies, lots of Nobodies, trying to catch him off guard, trying to get him to fall—

Naminé.

The Seekers were the ones behind this, weren't they, this had their dirty fingerprints written all over it—

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy.

Xehanort really was making good on his promise, he really did want the worlds collapse into darkness, didn't he—

Riku.

He had to keep fighting, he had to, Riku would tell him not to give up, but maybe it really was useless to resist, maybe fighting was pointless, maybe he should just—

Kairi.

He stared at the horizon. Was that… light?

Yeah, it was. A huge wave of light pushed back the darkness, pushed back the Unversed and Heartless and Nobodies. Sora almost had to cover his eyes, it was so bright.

When the light had faded, a good chunk of their enemies were gone. And in their place, standing a little ways away, was—

No. It couldn't be.

"Kairi!"

Wow, she looked great. She was even prettier than before, if that was even possible. Her hair was shorter and she was wearing a new outfit, pink and black with a nice skirt that—

Sora watched, stunned, as she kicked a nearby Heartless into the air for Axel to do what he did best— set it on fire. Then she used a smaller burst of light to target one of the bigger Unversed as he caught a group of Nobodies in his flames.

When the smoke had cleared, she finally turned Sora's way. She flipped her hair and gave him a teasing smile, and he knew he was a goner.

"Sora, pay attention!" Donald scolded, zapping a stray Heartless that had gotten too close.

"They're comin' back, Sora," Goofy shouted, "you gotta keep fightin'!"

Sora hardly noticed. "Kairi! Kairi's here!"

"Yes, she's here!" came Donald's exasperated voice. "Fight now, talk later!"

Oh, he would fight, all right. He would fight his way to her side until nothing stood in their way anymore.

Because at long last, they could finally be together.

* * *

A/N: Something tells me that however Sora and Kairi's reunion goes down in KH3, it's going to be special. Nomura carefully avoided letting them see each other in 0.2, which is very telling - he wanted to save their big onscreen reunion for KH3, which means he's got something special planned.

Then I got to thinking about how that reunion might go, exactly, and I thought Kairi swooping into battle to show just how far she's come during her training would be an awesome way to do that. And thus the idea for this fic was born. I've been meaning to write it for a while, actually, and now I finally had the chance.

Hope you enjoyed!


	23. Chapter 23 - To The Very End

For Day 26 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Darkness.

Contains spoilers for the opening trailer and a more recent trailer. Lots and lots of spoilers. Proceed at your own risk. (But please no spoilers in the reviews, especially about the Final Trailer which I still have not seen).

* * *

Don't give in to the darkness. That was the one rule he'd set for himself in all of this. Because if he did, it was all over. Xehanort was still after his heart. He and Roxas were both candidates for the last position on Xehanort's list. And if there was one thing Sora had learned in all this, it was that Xehanort did not fight fair.

Which meant he was doing everything he could to make the darkness in Sora's heart take over. Encounter after encounter with his "vessels" had really driven that point home.

And the thing was… a small part of Sora wanted to give in to the darkness. He wanted to rescue Roxas. He wanted to make Xehanort pay for all the hurt he'd caused. He wanted to give in to the shadowy creature that lived inside his heart, the one that only came out during a fight and unleashed his rage on his enemies till Donald and Goofy snapped him back to his senses.

But he couldn't. He just couldn't. His heart had to resist. There was no other option.

Until Xehanort targeted Kairi.

Sora knew it was gonna happen sooner or later. Kairi was a Princess of Heart. And not just that. She was the only one of the new group who'd carried over from the old group. She was the only one with a Keyblade, the only one who could be a Guardian of Light, too.

Sora had always known she was special. But now Xehanort did, too.

So when Xehanort looked down at her from up high with that greedy look in his eyes, something inside of Sora snapped.

No more. He'd failed her enough. She'd lost her heart and gotten kidnapped because he couldn't protect her, and he wasn't about to let Xehanort take her, too.

Throwing caution to the wind, he jumped in front of her. There. Now Xehanort would have to go through him to get to her. His body, his heart, his soul – it was all a small price to pay for her safety.

Xehanort just smiled. Ugh. Sora lifted his arm to guard her, the darkness inside him spiking to dangerous levels as he glared up at Xehanort.

"The light of the worlds is sustained in all your fellow princesses," came Xehanort's annoying voice, "but it seems you, Kairi, are the lynchpin holding it all together."

"Don't you lay a finger on her!" Sora yelled up at Xehanort. Dark smoke was coming off his arms in wisps now, but he didn't even care anymore.

"I don't have to. All you have to do is hand Roxas over… or yourself."

Sora froze. So that was what this was all about. Xehanort was gonna make him choose between saving Roxas and protecting Kairi. Either that or—

"Will the king choose to save his knight… or his queen?" Xehanort asked, just to really drive the point home. "Or will he sacrifice himself and lose the game?"

"Why you—"

"Shut up! He won't do any of that!" came Kairi's voice from behind him before he could finish his answer.

He glanced back at her, and her fists were clenched and her eyes were narrowed as she glared up at Xehanort. But then she met his gaze, and her eyebrows knitted together and her eyes filled with anguish.

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me, Sora. Not again, please, not again. I can protect myself, I swear!"

How could he explain? It wasn't that he doubted that. It was just that… losing her…

He'd rather hand himself over to Xehanort than let that happen. He'd rather tear out his own heart again, if it came to that. He'd rather lose his soul and die, leave his heart and body behind and allow Xehanort to do whatever he wanted with them, than lose her again.

"Roxas wouldn't want this either," she implored. "We can find another way to help him! _Please._ "

"Kairi—"

She stepped forward so she was standing beside him. "Sora, your heart is strong. You have to keep fighting the darkness. Don't give Xehanort what he wants!"

She summoned her Keyblade, and her light glowed a little brighter. Everything else seemed to fade away – Xehanort, the darkness, even the Keyblade Graveyard itself. All that was left was her and him.

"Never forget," she said, moving into a battle stance, "no matter what happens, I'm always with you!"

The words of their promise snapped him out of his funk. He had his answer. He knew he knew what he had to do.

His Keyblade appeared in his hand with her upgraded lucky charm dangling off the hilt. As their friends joined them and the fight began and reality came crashing down all around them, one last thought went through his head.

No matter what happened, at least he wasn't alone. Because Kairi was still here. His friends were still here.

And for them, he would fight to the very end.

* * *

A/N: A big thank you to Rapis_Razuri for talking to me about chess imagery a lot and Alja for inspiring me to write this story based on our conversations!

Hope you enjoyed!


	24. Chapter 24 - Too Much

For Day 27 of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Countdown Challenge - Loss.

Contains distressing content. Check the end notes for warnings and read at your own risk. The next prompt will be considerably more hope-filled if you would prefer to skip to that.

* * *

Goofy had been through a lotta hard things in his life. The death of his beloved wife, raising Maxie on his own, then lettin' him go off to another world to figure out his own future—

But none of that coulda prepared him for this.

Donald took his hat off and clutched it in his hands. "Oh, Sora."

Goofy sniffed and wiped his eyes. The whole world was one great big dark blur, and Xehanort had taken the χ-Blade to do who knows what with it. But none of that seemed very important compared to the awful truth starin' them in the face.

Donald sobbed as he flung himself over Sora's limp body, and Goofy just pulled Sora closer as the tears poured out of his eyes.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Someone so young shouldn't've died. Someone with his whole future stretchin' out before him shouldn't've had his life stolen from him by some selfish ne'er-do-weller.

The worlds could be cruel, but this was a whole lot worse than cruel.

Sora's face didn't look right without his smile on it. His body wasn't right without his sweet heart and carin' soul inside it. Knowing he'd never hear Sora's laughter again, never see his eyes sparkle as they went off on some new adventure together—

Gawrsh, it just hurt too much. The lump in his throat got bigger and the hole in his chest got wider.

He'd thought he'd been ready for anything. But this, this was just too much.

* * *

Warning: Major Character Death

Fics from Day 28 on will be posted under the story Line The Pieces Up.


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